Little Hawk,

Realistically, irrespective of what system is in place, there will always be, "serious discernable flaws in the system", and while, "people should not be complacent", there is no requirement for people to run around like a crowd of alarmist, headless chickens proclaiming the imminent collapse of society.

"It is possible for a democratically elected government to behave as a de facto dictatorship...until the moment of the next election...if they choose to. And they do. I've seen it, and I am seeing it."

Many things are possible, a damn sight fewer are probable, and the view of a person who supported the side, or parties, that lost an election by a significant majority - the goverment in power will always be seen to be acting as a de facto dictatorship - that does not necessarily make it the actual case from the point of view of the whole population.

As for - "And they do. I've seen it, and I am seeing it." - That is entirely your opinion - please do not present it as FACT - it does not convince.

"Many, many people are not voting simply because they realize (either instinctively or consciously) what is going on. They've been disempowered from the top. They have no confidence any longer in their vote achieving anything useful whatsoever."

In other words LH those people are disempowering themselves - well more fool them - they then get exactly what they deserve. Such an attitude to the democratic process, as we know it, may also come from, parents, teachers and lecturers feeding the next generation of voters exactly the same line of crap you describe above.